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New Cultural Dimensions: A Look at Familial Orientation

BUS 3302-01 - Consumer Behavior
Prof. Opeyemi Oladiji
July 27, 2022

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 Hofstede defined six cultural dimensions to compare cultures and explain cultural

differences. Hofstede’s dimensions include Individualism, Power Distance, Masculinity,

Uncertainty Avoidance, Long-term Orientation, and Indulgence (2021). In this paper, I will

propose an additional dimension that is different from the ones outlined by Hofstede. Moreover,

I will explore this dimension in detail, including examples of cultures at each extreme of the

spectrum, and one example of a service that may fit well in the culture based on the importance

of this dimension. I will explore a new dimension, Familial Orientation, as it relates to two

different cultures and what implications this dimension would have on a service that is focused

on cultures that do not have a strong Familial Orientation.

Family is the foundational family unit. Culturally, however, there are differing degrees to

which family is seen as an important part of the culture. Familial Orientation is an example of a

cultural dimension that could be used to compare cultures. I would define Familial Orientation

as the amount to which a culture prioritizes family above other cultural foundations such as work

hours or other enterprises. To gather data on this cultural dimension, we can view elements like

the number of children per household based on census survey results, the number of generations

per household, and the number of working hours in the culture on average per week. From these

data, we can see the degree to which a culture is focused on family.

Examining this cultural dimension would not be complete without reviewing cultures that

are at opposite ends of the spectrum on Familial Orientation. In the US, we have seen a steady

decline in the birth rate from 16.7 per 1,000 of the population, to 11 per 1,000 (Statista Research

Department, 2020). Due to rising costs of living, many young Americans are electing to have

pets rather than having children. Only 1 in 4 Americans now live in multigenerational

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households (Multigenerational households, n.d.). America would be an example of an extreme

for being non-family-oriented when compared to other countries.

America is a sharp contrast to China in the dimension of Familial Orientation. In China,

multigenerational households are the norm, with over 2-generation families accounting for 68%

of the population (The change of family size and structure in China, 1992). While the birthrate

may not have been an indicative factor due to the one-child policy, the family is a central

foundation of the culture.

A service that may fit well in a low Familial Orientation culture like the US would be a

pet daycare. This is a great service that can speak to the new pet-orientated culture, where pets

are the new style of the family for the younger generations in the US culture. Due to the

importance of this dimension, this service would do very well in the US.

References
The change of family size and structure in China. China Popul Headl. 1992 Apr;(1):2. PMID:

12343692.

Hofsteed, G. (2021, February 20). The 6 dimensions model of national culture by Geert

Hofstede.

Retrieved July 27, 2022, from https://geerthofstede.com/culture-geert-hofstede-gert-jan-

hofstede/6d-model-of-national-culture/

Multigenerational households (n.d.). Generations United. Retrieved July 27, 2022, from

https://www.gu.org/explore-our-topics/multigenerational-households/

Statista Research Department. (2022, May 30). U.S. birth rate 2020. Statista. Retrieved July 27,

2022, from

https://www.statista.com/statistics/195943/birth-rate-in-the-united-states-since-1990/